Finding a second life for empty plastic containers around your home can be a great way to make even a tiny step toward a greener life. One clever gardener offered a hack to reuse an old laundry detergent container in a unique way.
The scoop
Guru's Garden (@guru_says) on TikTok demonstrated her quick and easy hack for a large detergent container. In the video, she explained she refilled it with hand soap and water, making it a handwashing station. She joked she grew up in an era when "you can't be in and out," as in running in and out of the house to wash your hands, so she came up with the idea to make handwashing easy while she's working in the garden, using the hose to rinse off.
@guru_says #gardenhacks #diygarden #blackgirlsgardening #urbanfarming #gurusgarden #containergarden #raisedbedgarden #diyraisedgardenbeds #backyardgardening #urbangarden #gardeninginthecity #outdoorhacks ♬ original sound - Guru's Garden
How it's working
According to a report from the United Nations, plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to break down in a landfill, and there have been around 9.1 billion tons ever made — half of that in the last 13 years. Upcycling plastic containers helps limit how many end up in landfills, where they emit planet-warming gases. It also reduces the demand for new plastic items by stretching the life of existing ones.
More and more organizations are popping up to help people in their upcycling efforts, including ThredUp, which helps sell clothes secondhand, and Trashie, a recycling and rewards company that pays you for clothing and other specific waste.
The TikToker's mention of not running in and out of the house is also a subtle but incredibly helpful way to reduce energy consumption by keeping doors closed, helping any cooling or heating systems in the home run more efficiently.Â
What people are saying
The TikToker said she was maybe doing "too much" in her video demonstration, but people in the comments loved her idea. "I will be doing too much as soon as my current laundry soap is empty!" one person wrote.
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Another suggested adding a second container with plain water for rinsing, and the creator agreed it was a great suggestion. Others called it "genius," while one asked about using an Earth-friendly soap, which would help prevent chemicals from leaching into the garden soil.
Many supported the idea for camping or other outdoor activities, with one person writing, "This would be great for camping or kids playing in the backyard too."
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